Comparison Test: Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaners

With a simple claim, Eureka has thrown the gauntlet down. Their new AirSpeed vacuum "cleans carpets better than the Dyson DC14, DC17 and DC25 at one-third the price!" the vacuum maker boasts. To see how Eureka's claims live up to reality, we pit the AirSpeed against the Dyson DC25, as well as the higher-priced DC28.

THE VACUUMS

THE TESTS

SUCTION TEST (CARPET)

We started with a fixed amount of flour on a carpeted floor, and then used each model to see how much it could suck up in 30 seconds, starting from the upright and off position.

Eureka AirSpeed: While the Eureka AirSpeed vacuumed up most of the flour, there were still stubborn remnants left over. We also noticed a few general design issues with the Eureka—the vacuum felt creaky and unstable when it was being lowered, and the power button was hidden in the relatively inaccessible back and bottom of the appliance.

Dyson DC25: The Dyson DC25 was able to gulp up all of the flour in the 30-second window, leaving the carpet powder-free. The DC25 also benefited from an ergonomically friendly design—it was the easiest vacuum to lower, with a convenient foot pedal on the back that allowed for a simple transition to the downright position. The power button was also conveniently placed in the front of the vacuum near the handle.

Dyson DC28: But it was the Dyson DC28 that bested the competition, vacuuming up the flour in a mere 15 seconds, after barely a single pass. Still, lowering the vacuum took more time than the DC25 did, since the user needs to hold the base down with his foot while pulling the rest of the vacuum back.

HOSE TESTWe tested the suction speed of the hose, timing how long it would take the hose (without any tools attached) to vacuum up a fixed amount of flour from a carpet.

Eureka AirSpeed: The AirSpeed was easy to use and took 21 seconds to vacuum up the flour.

Dyson DC25: The Dyson DC25 took 22 seconds to clean the flour.

Dyson DC28: The Dyson DC28 vacuumed up the same amount of flour in 19 seconds.

SUCTION TEST (WOOD/TILE)We performed the same power test as before, only this time on hardwood. We sucked up a fixed amount of flour with each model, and saw which vacuum could clean the hardwood fastest.